One Pan Spanish Garlic Chicken

This vibrant one-pan Spanish garlic chicken brings restaurant-quality flavors to your table in just 30 minutes with a golden, garlicky sauce that's absolutely irresistible.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are lean and cook quickly when pounded thin, making them perfect for this 30-minute recipe. You can also use chicken thighs, if preferred.
• Paprika: Adds a sweet, smoky depth and creates the warm reddish color. You can use smoked paprika for a more intense smoky flavor.
• Red chili flakes: Give the dish subtle heat; you can omit it, if preferred.
• Dry sherry: Adds slight sweetness and acidity that helps deglaze the pan, lifting up all the browned bits of flavor from the chicken.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Try this recipe with pork cutlets.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour to coat the chicken and thicken the sauce.

Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

One Pan Spanish Garlic Chicken

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breasts skinless, boneless
• salt and pepper
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ¼ cup dry sherry
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• Place ¼ cup flour in a shallow bowl. Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally and pound until they're ½-inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Lay chicken in one even layer in the pan and cook until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• In the same pan, melt butter. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon flour, paprika, and red chili flakes, stirring until well combined.
• Add sherry and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Add chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce on the chicken. Let simmer for 2 minutes or until chicken is hot. Remove from heat and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

If preparing this dish ahead of time, you may need to add a splash of water to help loosen the sauce. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare chicken

The secret to perfect chicken in this one pan Spanish garlic chicken starts with proper preparation. After cutting your chicken breasts in half horizontally, you'll want to pound them to about ½-inch thickness.

Pounding the chicken serves two important purposes. First, it ensures even cooking so you won't end up with dry edges and undercooked centers. Second, it helps tenderize the meat.

Once your chicken is prepped, season both sides generously with salt and pepper, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off any excess. The flour coating is crucial here because it helps create that beautiful golden crust when you sear the chicken, and it also helps thicken the sauce later on.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and lay the chicken pices in one even layer. Let them cook undisturbed until they're golden brown on the bottom. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes.

Flip them once and cook until the other side is equally golden.

You don't need to cook the chicken completely through at this stage since it'll finish cooking in the sauce later. Remove the chicken and set it aside - it should feel just slightly underdone.

Step 2: Cook sauce

In that same pan with all those beautiful browned bits, melt your butter and add the minced garlic. Sauté it for just 30 seconds to prevent the garlic from burning.

Next, add that remaining tablespoon of flour along with the paprika and red chili flakes, stirring everything together until it's well combined. This creates what's called a roux, which will help thicken your sauce and give it that silky texture.

Pour in the dry sherry and chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer. The sherry is really what makes this dish special - it adds that Spanish flavor and helps deglaze the pan, picking up all those delicious browned bits.

Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until it's slightly thickened, then stir in the lemon juice to brighten up the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 3: Putting it all together

The final step is the easiest. Simply nestle that beautiful seared chicken back into the pan and spoon the sauce over each piece. Let everything simmer together for just 2 minutes, which is enough time for the chicken to finish cooking and for all those flavors to meld together.

The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but since it's been pounded thin, it cooks quickly.

Remove the pan from heat, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for that pop of color and freshness, and serve immediately.

The result is tender, juicy chicken with a rich, garlicky sauce that's both comforting and sophisticated. It's everything I love about Spanish cuisine - bold flavors, simple techniques, and ingredients that work in perfect harmony.

Plus, this one pan Spanish garlic chicken comes together in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for those Sunday nights when you want something special without the stress.

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can brown the chicken and cook the sauce ahead of time. Add the chicken back to the sauce and reheat before serving.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

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